Be Still
by burning-atmosphere
Summary: "Mako held her in his arms and her head laid against his chest. He looked down at the girl that he'd never known to be this still." Simply what I wished would have happened at the end of Episode 4.


**Sorry**, if you're Author Alerted by me and you're a follower from Tell Me A Secret with Quil and Claire. I swear I'm trying to write on that story still! But I've gotten distracted with Paul & Rachel, The Hunger Games and now LOK. Love you all, seriously going to go write on that one now! Don't forget me or hate me!

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**To LOK readers:**

Simply my odd thoughts on a page of what I would like to happen after Episode 4. I hope you enjoy. Despite liking both Asami and Bolin, I'm still Makkora all the way.

All inspired by a beautiful, beautiful song.

**Be Still - The Fray**

Seriously go listen to it, it enhances the story by 70% that with RainyMood with boost it 100&

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It had been a long night. Korra had run off to meet Amon and all Mako could do was sit and worry. Although, he wasn't sitting alone. The beautiful Asami Sato sat across from him trying to captivate him in her thoughts on the Wolfbats.

He was supposed to be focusing on his dinner with her, but such a feat was impossible. He stared out the window wondering if he would see flames shooting from the sky or water grabbing the masked figure. But Memorial Island was quiet. That made him even more worried. Korra was stupid. Reckless. At the recent party in her honor, she'd stood up and proclaimed her readiness to fight Amon. Bolin and Mako had almost torn off her head afterwards, but she was steadfast.

He parted with Asami. He felt badly as she gazed up at him, but he couldn't kiss her. Not when his mind was thinking of someone else. She smiled politely and said goodnight after he bent down to kiss her cheek. She quickly climbed back into her car without another look. He felt guilty. Terrible. This girl, this perfect girl, was practically throwing herself at him. But all he could think about was his teammate. His stupid, arrogant, impulsive friend.

As Mako walked in, he sighed. He shouldn't have to feel guilty, though right? Korra was only a friend, almost like an annoying family member now. He should worry about her. Is that all she was? He couldn't deny that he enjoyed the pokes and fights. Despite his anger, he found her actions endearing in a way. The ridiculous way that she thought she could boss him around or her almost childlike behavior during practices had grown on him.

The fiery passion of the Avatar was often directed at him. Not many other people would ever get her attention that way and it made Mako happy, happier than he should have felt. Korra was different, confusing, over confident, rough and Mako liked her. Although, he wasn't sure which kind of like it was.

As he rounded the ladder to the attic, he decided he'd feel better if he walked down to the pier. Then he could see Korra sitting there. Safe and well. As he walked, all these different scenarios played through his head.

Korra bored sitting.

A dueling Korra and Amon.

Korra standing over a dead Amon.

Amon standing over a bend-less Korra.

Amon standing over a dead Korra.

Too much. It was all too much. He had to stop thinking of all these terrible ideas.

As he turned corner a familiar voice called out, "Mako! Yo Brother!"

Bolin was sitting on a bench near the pier. His clothes were a little crumpled and his hair was messy from sleep. He was waiting. That's where he'd gone tonight. He was watching Korra, making sure she was safe. He rubbed his green eyes and then smiled up at his brother.

"Whatcha doin' here Mako?"

"I was looking for you." Mako lied smoothly. The realization came over him. The reason Bolin was sitting here. The reason that Bolin had asked Mako what kind of flowers to get a girl. The reason that Bolin had been so quick to have Mako go out with Asami.

He liked Korra.

"Oh, well. I was just hanging out down here. Ya know, just making sure Korra's alright. Don't want her to get hurt." Bolin rubbed his neck and smiled sheepishly. As he blushed, Mako noticed his anger. The unhappiness he felt from Bolin thinking about Korra. The almost hate he felt that Bolin had the idea of waiting for Korra. He shouldn't feel that way though. He should have stopped any caring about Korra when he realized Bolin liked her...but that idea made him care more.

"Yeah," Mako nodded stiffly. "That's nice of you. Have you seen anything?"

"I actually fell asleep...She was just sitting there for a while and I got sleepy. I'm sure everything was fine." Bolin stood and walked down to the end of the pier with Mako in tow.

They stared out at Memorial Island. The fog that usually covered the island was thinning and they could make out almost everything happening. Several figures moved out there and neither could decided whether that was good or bad. But before they could decide, they saw a figure slightly dragging another. As they came into better view it was Tenzin with Korra.

"We have to go help!" Bolin said immediately. He hopped down into one of the boats and Mako jumped in right after him. They began to paddle across, Bolin's arm moved furiously. It seemed as though he couldn't get there quick enough.

As they reached the island, it was obvious that Korra wasn't well.. Many of the soldiers spread around the grounds. Searching for probably Amon, but coming up empty. The masked figure had left no clues and no threats. Tenzin saw the boys as they climbed out of the boat and waved them over. Mako's eyes searched for Korra to see if she was alright. She was slumped over and Tenzin supported her on a bench Fear overtook Mako's body. She couldn't be...

"Boys, it's good to see you. Korra...she was attacked by Amon and his gang." Tenzin explained, looking down at the unconscious Avatar. "She'll be okay, I think. She was in shock. She just became panicked and the stress finally got to her. The medics gave her something to help the pain and the shock, but it made her a bit loopy. She passed out after she'd been crying."

As he spoke, Korra's body began to slide. Bolin's arms were ready to catch her, but Mako's arms were the ones to shoot out and scooped her up. Bolin's arms retracted immediately and he looked down as if he'd been rejected. Mako held her in his arms and her head laid against his chest. He looked down at the girl that he'd never known to be this still. She breathed lightly and her eyes fluttered for a moment before stilling as well.

Mako took a moment to admire her face. Her smooth skin was mostly unharmed and her hair was still in it's normal ponytails. She was very pretty. He couldn't deny the fact. Asami was beautiful with her done up hair and makeup, but Korra did none of that stuff. She was natural as can be.

"She needs to go somewhere safe. I can't keep her in the Air Temple, it's so far away if an emergency happens." Tenzin spoke, breaking Mako's reverie. His face was tired. The late hour and the stress of Korra's fight had gotten to the Airbender.

"She can stay with us for the night," both brothers chimed. Then they turned to glare at the other. Bolin's face was tight and controlled while Mako's was soft and sad. Such opposites of their usual personalities. At the moment though, Mako couldn't be more unlike himself. That's what she did to him. Korra made him a softie. Bolin on the other end was near anger. Not an emotion he often felt and never felt toward his brother.

"We'll take her back to our place and make sure she's okay. We should be able to hold our own if anything happens," Mako replied. He didn't want to let her out of his sights tonight. Not after he had her, safe in his arms.

"Thank you." Tenzin smiled halfheartedly, "We'll send guards over for the night. The Council is meeting first thing tomorrow and then we'll relocate her to a safe house of sorts."

As they climbed into the boat, Mako refused to let go of Korra. He held her tightly and set her head in his lap as they began to paddle. Bolin said nothing as they rowed. The sound of the water filled the silence while both brothers looked at their sleeping teammate. She had come into their lives like a tornado. Taking all the order and control Mako so tightly held onto and tossed it out the window. She had taken him completely out of his comfort zone. She challenged him and made him fight her on everything. Not like Asami, no, she'd go along with anything Mako said. No arguing, no battles.

"I like her, you know." Bolin said as the paddled. He stared at Mako flatly. His face didn't have his usual lightness. His green eyes were in this moment, green with jealousy. This was obviously not just a statement, but something to agitate Mako, something to make him talk. "You have Asami wrapped around your finger. Don't take Korra."

"I didn't take anyone."

"But you did. She likes you. She was jealous earlier when we saw you with Asami."

"It's not like I did anything to make that happen."

"You like her too though. That's what you did. You gave her hope. You have feelings for her too," Bolin looked down at the Avatar. The girl that he couldn't get. The one who hadn't fallen for him. Bolin had always been the charmer. He would have girls following him after the matches, but not Korra. She couldn't have been more uninterested. He saw the looks though, the glances she made at practice as Mako would throw spits of fire at the targets. He saw her disgust earlier as Mako paraded around with Asami on his arm.

Mako began to open his mouth to detest this, but Bolin shook his head. "You can't lie to me. I know you. Asami may be pretty and may be the perfect girl for you, but Korra gets under your skin. She makes you crazy. She knows how to make you tick."

Mako sighed. He couldn't deny any of those things. Not a one.

"But it's not fair. It's not fair to any of us. You can't choose Asami, but hold on to Korra. That's not right, bro. The more you hold onto Korra the less of a chance I have."

"How's that fair to me?" Mako argued back. He'd never felt this anger toward Bolin, but now here it was, full force. "How can you tell me not to like her? Just because you do? I give everything up for you, to make sure you have a home, food, a life. I'm always taking care of you!"

Korra stirred a bit and both brothers stopped. She turned her head in Mako's lap and let out a small whimper before falling silent. They had arrived back at the pier of Republic City. As they stood to go back to the arena, Mako let Bolin take her this time. They walked in silence back to the apartment. Neither knowing what to say to his brother. The tension was thick between them.

The only place they had to set Korra was a spare bed between theirs. She shook a bit as they set her down, but as soon as Mako put the blanket across her she stilled. He reached down and undid her metal hair clips so she wouldn't be uncomfortable. Her hair waved out behind her, thick and long. The moonlight in took away both their breathes. She was amazing.

"You can't take the only girl I want...You have Asami. You could have taken Korra first, but you didn't. You have someone who wants you and you made her believe you want her too." Bolin said sitting on the edge of his bed facing Mako on his bed. He didn't look up at Mako this time. His eyes stayed on the sleeping Avatar. Mako didn't want to make his brother angry or sad or hurt, but the way he felt about Korra...was stronger than he realized. He shouldn't feel that way and he knew it. Asami was sitting at home thinking about him while he couldn't go a second without thinking of Korra.

"I'm not taking anyone. I'm not doing anything. I'm just trying to make sure we're all alive by the end of the day!" Mako practically yelled. That got her. Korra turned over facing Mako's bed and sighed.

"Hey Mako..." her voice was dry of crying and thick with sleep. She curled herself into a ball and shivered. "Shhh."

He chuckled at that one. Of course, this silly girl who had stupidly run off to fight her enemy would tell him to be quiet. Bolin frowned. Even in her rest, she'd pick Mako out.

"Hey do you feel okay? You need water or anything?" Mako kneeled next to her, watching her face intently. Her eyes stayed close, but she smiled slightly. His parental side kicked in. After all those years of taking care of Bolin when he was sick had made caused this part of him.

"No I don't...just stay with me please?" She reached out her hand and, to Bolin's horror, found Mako's arm. She gently pulled him toward her. Mako's eyes widened, but he didn't stop her as she pulled her toward her. She was drugged and silly, but her strength hadn't go anywhere.

He laid next to her almost frozen with surprise. He was so unsure of what to do. He couldn't exactly get up and walk out, not after the night she had. At least that's what he told himself. Bolin stood and swiftly walked out of the room. He looked back at his teammates. He fumed at the thought of his brother and Korra. He had liked her off the bat. He'd been nice and funny, but where had that gotten him. Nowhere. If he had found a girlfriend, Korra wouldn't have been jealous. She would have been happy for him, overjoyed.

"I'll let the lovebirds be," he spat bitterly at his brother. Korra didn't seem to hear a thing as she wormed her way around Mako's arm. Soon enough she was comfortably resting her head on his shoulder, her face pressed against his chest. She sighed and seemed to return to her sleep.

Mako sucked in a breath. Unsure of what to do, what to feel. He couldn't deal with Bolin right now. He couldn't tell him that Korra didn't mean anything to him. Korra meant a lot. More than he realized at first. Now with her curled up on his side, he was...content. He wasn't worried she was off fighting an evil mad man or that she was off with Bolin laughing. She was safe with him.

"Hey, seriously. What happened tonight? He didn't hurt you did he?" Mako fumed at the idea of this sicko taking away her bending. But Tenzin would have told them that, right? Korra shook her head. "You have to tell me."

She shook her head again, fighting whatever it was. "I don't want to cry anymore. Especially not in front of you."

"I'm here. They aren't going to get you, nothing will hurt you." Mako watched her face scrunch up and the tears silently came down. Mako was scared now, whatever had happened had reduced the always strong Avatar to weeping.

"It was so dark...they surrounded me and blocked me from fighting. I've never felt so...helpless." Korra mumbled through her silent sobs. She never opened her eyes, instead she kept them pressed shut and hid her face in his shirt.

"Korra. Hey, hey it's okay. Don't be scared, I'm sorry for bring it up. I just didn't want you hurt. You can sleep," Mako amended quickly. Watching her cry was painful. He'd never seen her do anything so...vulnerable. She wasn't the cocky young Avatar right now. She was a scared little girl. Who had asked for him. She had wanted him to stay with her. That meat something.

"You don't know that. You don't know they won't get me," Korra said through her tears. Her fingers grabbed at his shirt, looking for something to hold on to, something to hold her here. She had never experienced that kind of fear before. The terror of realization she couldn't fight back. She was tied in that dark room, surround by masked Equalists and when Amon's hand came down to touch her forehead she almost passed out.

"It won't happen. I won't let it happen," Mako reassured her, he pressed her face against his chest and wrapped his arm protectively around her. He was the one she had picked. Drugged or not, she hadn't asked for Bolin. It was such an unusual thing. Bolin had always gotten the girl. It was just so easy for him, while Mako hadn't ever had the time. He was always running around making Bolin happy. He wasn't bitter about it, he loved his brother. He wanted him to be happy, but this time Mako wanted to be happy too.

He hadn't realized how scared he'd been for her. How sick he'd been with worry until she was now safely in his arms. She continued to shake a bit and stir. He just held her tighter. He didn't want her to be like this. He hated that someone did this to her.

He should have been there. He should have protected her. He wasn't even sure what he could have done, but just to be there with her. He'd go there next time. She wouldn't go alone, no matter how adamant she was. He wouldn't let her. If she ever lost her way, he'd be there, to show her the way back.

Mako wasn't sure what would happen next. If they'd wake up and Korra would kick him out of bed in the morning or if Bolin would come back and fight him. He didn't know what to tell Asami or Korra for that matter. He knew they'd have to confront it soon. He couldn't go on and pretend that he didn't feel anything. He knew he liked her, cared for her. He only knew that at that moment, with Korra in his arms, that he wouldn't leave her. He'd be there for her from now on.

Korra was shaking more and more now, Mako kissed her forehead lightly, hesitantly. That made her eyes pop open and her movements ceased. She must have been dreaming. Mako wouldn't ever do something like that. She began to turn to look at him, but he held her tightly where she was.

Mako simply said, "Be still and know I'm with you now."

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Reviews are the best. They inspire more writing.

Best wishes,

Rachel.


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